Wobble Light

Wayne Wenzel | Nov 21, 2005

The wobble light is advertised as bright, durable and virtually indestructible. Features include a unique counter-weighted stand, a floating shock system and tough polycarbonate dome to protect the bulb. There’s also a convection fan system to keep the bright metal halide bulb cool. Team FIN Farmer Dale Koester put the Wobble Light to the test on his Indiana farm to find out if the product lived up to its promise.

Koester’s product notes: I personally cannot stand using a trouble light with a protective cage around it. On such lights it always seems like the cord and hanger is right in the way. This is not a problem with the self-supporting Wobble Light. The cord is out of the way and doesn’t block the light.

The counter-weighted stand wobbles, but won’t tip over if you bump into it. The stand is 3 ft tall, which gets the light off the ground where it can illuminate your worksite. The stand is sturdy, and even if the ground is not level, the light sets upright. You need nothing to set it on or hang it on. I found it quite useful for illuminating corners of my machine shed where light is usually poor.

Assembly out of the box to plug-in and use took only 10 minutes. With its handle, I found the Wobble Light easy to move around despite its size. I wish we’d had this light a few months earlier, when we were taking floors out of grain bins and working until after dark. The Wobble Light would have been perfect for that job. I also wouldn’t worry about this light bouncing around in the back of my pickup. The way it is built, I’m sure it wouldn’t get hurt.

One complaint I have with the Wobble Light is that it didn’t produce as much light as I would have liked. The model I tested was the 175-watt metal halide. The product literature claims this is equivalent in light output to 12 standard 100-watt bulbs, but it didn’t seem that way to me.

If I were to buy the Wobble Light for farm use, I’d probably spend the extra money for the 250-watt or maybe even the 400-watt model, which claim light output equivalency to 16 and 31 standard 100-watt light bulbs, respectively. I’d also get the optional reflector shield, which wasn’t available yet when I tested the light. I’d also want some assurances on the life of the bulbs, which cost between $20 and $40 to replace. Depending on wattage, Wobble Light unit price ranges from $139 to $229. For more information, contact Wobble Light LLC, 2500 Higgins Road, Suite 1050, Hoffman Estates, IL 60195. Phone, 847-230-3640. www.wobblelight.com[2].